Anthony "Tony" Ray Mitchell

Anthony (Tony) Ray Mitchell – Born December 8, 1954, and passed away suddenly on April 26, 2024. Tony would be considered as a real “Renaissance” Man. Tony was a life-long learner and he had a wonderful way of sharing his knowledge with us, most often through his storytelling. His all-encompassing knowledge of topics ranging from music, local history, and pop culture made Tony the best of partners to have during a trivia game. Tony was born to Mary Lou and Dick Mitchell 69 years ago in Bloomington and no matter where his adventures took him, Tony was always happiest when he was back in his hometown. Tony was the oldest of two brothers, Rick and Nick, as well as many unofficial friends turned brothers-for-life who were always welcome in the Mitchell household. One of Tony’s strongest passions was his involvement with the Boy Scouts. Scouting was a life-long love of Tony’s from the time he joined as a young boy until his passing; Tony remained a registered scout to this day. Tony met some of his best friends through Scouts and remained close to them throughout the rest of their lives. Tony so strongly believed in the Scouts that he continued to serve as a leader in their program, lending his knowledge and guidance to young men and women. Tony was awarded several honors through the Scouts- the most recent were the District Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver Award, recognizing the distinguished and dedicated service Tony had provided to countless young Scouts. Tony felt a calling to serve his country and joined the Army towards the end of the Vietnam War. Tony graduated at the top of his military class and served with honor and integrity as a Military Policeman. He was also awarded the Army Commendation Medal. Tony was given many opportunities while in the Army and especially enjoyed his travels throughout Europe while he was stationed in Germany. Tony was proud of his service and demonstrated his great love of country and camaraderie by volunteering for the United Service Organization. On weekends, Tony could be found at Camp Atterbury spending time and sharing stories with the servicemen and women there. After his service, Tony pursued his Bachelor’s degree in Education from Indiana University and graduated in ’83. Tony taught on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. Tony moved back to Bloomington after his time teaching but retained a fondness for the West and made many trips out there with friends and family. Tony also developed a love of Native American artwork and many wonderful pieces can be found in the home he shared with his wife, Patty. Upon his return to Bloomington, Tony began his career at Cook Medical in 1992 as their Archivist. Tony was perfectly suited for his role as Archivist as it allowed him to combine his love of history with the love he had for his hometown. Tony retired from Cook Medical in January of 2019 and was celebrated with a wonderful retirement party that many friends, family members, and coworkers attended. Following his retirement, Tony pursued his passion of traveling with his wife, Patty. In recent years, they have taken cruises to the Bahamas, Aruba, Jamica, Belize, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic. Those are only a few locations that they visited but as you can see, Tony and Patty shared a passion for visiting warm, tropical locales to get away from typical Indiana weather. Tony and Patty enjoyed cross-country trips in their camper to both the West and East coasts where they explored many historical sites and caught up with friends across the country. When Tony was not traveling, he enjoyed spending time at home, relaxing with his beloved dogs Ryder and Bella while catching up on IU’s sports teams. In the last few years, Tony began seriously pursuing his passion for art, becoming a prolific painter. He had a home studio built where he proudly worked and displayed his work. (While at the service, please take some time to look around today and view just a few of the wonderful pieces that Tony painted). Tony was known for his love of gathering friends and family, so his home was always open. Visitors were greeted with a delicious, home cooked meal from Tony and Patty no matter if they were hosting one friend or ten. Tony will be remembered by many people for his outgoing spirit, his generosity and willingness to assist others, as well as his loyalty to his family and friends through the deep love he bore them. Let us remember Tony for the many things he was: a lover of Jimmy Buffett, a collector of art, and a man with a no-filter sense of humor. Tony was most importantly a loving brother, father, husband, grandfather, and friend. He will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him. Tony was born to his late mother, Mary Lou Tartaglia Mitchell and his father Richard (Dick) Mitchell - 69 years ago. He is survived by his wife Patricia "Patty" Caruso-Mitchell, his son Matthew (Deb) Mitchell, daughter Megan (Nathan) Caruso-Ashworth and son Michael (Rayna) Caruso, IV. He is survived by his brothers Rick (Val) Mitchell and Nick (Lynae) Mitchell. He is also survived by the most precious loves of his life – his grandchildren Pepper Owen, Corbin Ashworth, Landon Caruso and Milo Caruso. Funeral services for Tony will held at 1:00 PM on Friday, May 3, 2024 at Allen Funeral Home 4155 S. Old State Rd 37 Bloomington, IN with military rites provided by the Monroe County Honor Guard. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 5-8 PM and on Friday from 12 PM until the time of service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be given to Boy Scouts of America Hoosier Trails Council https://donations.scouting.org/#/council/145/appeal/6379 Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.allencares.com

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Anthony "Tony" Ray Mitchell

December 8, 1954 - April 26, 2024